With as much success as the Dallas Cowboys have had in the last handful of years, you know other teams around the league will be lining up to pick this roster apart if they have the chance to do it. The Cowboys have done a tremendous job the last handful of years with player development and maximizing talent overall, and other teams are going to want to get a piece of that as quickly as possible.
And that extends not only into the Dallas Cowboys' roster, but their coaching staff as well.
The Cowboys have a rather impressive list of free agents pending for 2024 and they're not going to be able to retain them all. Where could the top free agents on this roster land as we put one eye on the offseason, which is just a couple of months away?
1. Tyron Smith, OT: Dallas Cowboys
Not going controversial right off the bat here. I think the Cowboys are going to find a way to keep Tyron Smith, especially with the "resurgence" he has had here in 2023. Smith obviously has dealt with a number of injuries over the last handful of years, limiting him to just 17 games total from 2020-22.
But he's been back to his former dominant self in 2023:
Tyron Smith's still got it 💪 pic.twitter.com/HcW6rv1U1J
— PFF (@PFF) December 20, 2023
I think if Tyron Smith is going to play in 2023, it's going to be with the Dallas Cowboys. I do think he'd have plenty of suitors in the event that he hits free agency, but given the fact that this season still hasn't been 100 percent clean for him medically, it makes sense for him to return to the place that has the most familiarity with his medical history.
I think the Cowboys hang on to the former first-round pick, even if he goes year to year at this point in his career.
2. Tony Pollard, RB: Tennessee Titans
The Dallas Cowboys would obviously hate to lose someone like Tony Pollard in the 2024 offseason, especially because the known alternatives at this point are not great, but Pollard plays a position that many NFL teams right now are just not willing to pay top dollar for.
And it might be time for some new blood in that Cowboys backfield anyway.
As good of a player as Pollard is and has been, he might be best served on a roster like the one in Tennessee, where he would also be able to have a homecoming of sorts. Pollard grew up in Tennessee and played his college ball at Memphis. The Titans are also currently armed with nearly $87 million in cap space and will be looking to spend this offseason.
3. Stephon Gilmore, CB: Los Angeles Chargers
It feels likely at this point that the Cowboys will have to make some sacrifices like this in order to address other positions on the roster. With Trevon Diggs coming back in 2024 and DaRon Bland having such a huge season, I think the Cowboys will be one-and-done for Stephon Gilmore.
And that's okay.
Gilmore is going to be 34 next season, but I think he ends up landing with a team coached by either Dan Quinn or Bill Belichick. That could end up being the Los Angeles Chargers, who have fired head coach Brandon Staley and could be one of the top landing spots for any prospective head coaches this offseason.
If Quinn somehow remains in Dallas another year, I wouldn't be shocked to see the Cowboys find a way to convince him to come back.
4. Jourdan Lewis, CB: Detroit Lions
A couple things you can always look for when free agents are leaving teams:
- What coaching connections do they have around the league?
- Where is the player from?
A lot of times, free agency boils down to one of those two factors, and for Jourdan Lewis, I think we could see a return to his roots. The Detroit Lions have been one of the best teams in the NFC this season, but I think they'll be continually looking at upgrades for the secondary. Lewis has struggled this season for the Cowboys but could probably still get a decent 1-2 year deal from a team like Detroit.
5. Dorance Armstrong, EDGE: Houston Texans
We saw a couple of notable former Cowboys make their way to Houston last offseason with tight end Dalton Schultz and wide receiver Noah Brown joining the Texans. Could we see another small exodus of Cowboys heading to Houston again in 2024?
It's possible.
I think Dorance Armstrong -- a Houston native -- should have a decent market in 2024 free agency. Teams might not view him as a starter off the edge, but as a rotational piece, he's been effective. And DeMeco Ryans likes to bring pass rush in waves. I like this option for Armstrong if he leaves the Cowboys next offseason.
6. Tyler Biadasz, C: Chicago Bears
The Dallas Cowboys have shown a willingness in recent years to let some guys on the interior offensive line go, and I think center Tyler Biadasz could be the latest. Although the center market was really team-friendly in 2023, I think it could pick back up again and become a bit of a player's market in 2024.
Biadasz would command top dollar on the free agent market, and the Bears would be a team I'd expect to pay up. Chicago has invested heavily in free agency recently and they have a ton of cap space yet again in 2024. Lucas Patrick is not cutting it for that team at the center position, and Biadasz would be a massive upgrade.
Biadasz heads back to Big Ten country this offseason.
7. Jayron Kearse, S: Wherever Dan Quinn goes
If Dan Quinn stays in Dallas, I think the two sides find common ground on a deal for him to come back. If he goes to the Chargers, I think Kearse is bound for LA.
One way or another, I think Kearse and Dan Quinn are tied in free agency this offseason. Kearse seems to be very much a "Quinn guy" and while he's falling out of favor with the Cowboys fan base a bit, his experience in Quinn's defense is valuable.